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RUSSIAN CONSULATE GENERAL OPENED IN GUMRI
JANUARY 25. A Russian consulate general was opened
in Gumri today, ARMINFO learned from the press service of the Russian
Embassy in Armenia.
Russia's Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Drukov, Armenia's Defence
Minister and Co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernment
Commission for Economic Cooperation Serzh Sargsyan, Governor of the
Shirak region Felix Piroumyan, Russia's consul general to Armenia,
Gumri's mayor and other officials took part in the ceremony.
Present at the ceremony also were commanders of the 102nd base of
Russia's troops in Armenia and Russian border guards.
SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH CATHOLICOS OF ALL
ARMENIANS
JANUARY 25. Speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly Armen Khachatrian held a meeting today with Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II. During the meeting the sides discussed
prospects of developing the church-state relations.
According to the information reported to ARMINFO by the press service
of the Holy See of Echmiadzin, during the meeting the Supreme
Patriarch congratulated Armen Khachatrian on his being awarded
with the prize of the International Fund for Unification of Orthodox
Peoples. He expressed confidence that after being awarded with such
a prize, Armen Khachatrian, as speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly, will be closer to dissemination of Christian values,
creating relevant legal grounds necessary for more
extensive activities of religious organizations. At the same time
Garegin II pointed out that the prize of the International Fund will
strengthen the fraternal relations between the orthodox peoples,
contribute to moral values and the resolution of problems facing the
humanity.
Expressing his gratitude to Garegin II, Armen Khachatrian pointed out
that the prize received by him is a high award first of all for the
people, church and Armenian state. He also stressed the necessity for
legislative assistance to the activities of the Armenian Apostolic
Church for specifying its role and mission in the people's life. The
meeting ended with a prayer. Garegin II blessed the Speaker of the
Armenian Parliament, presenting him with the three-volume work "The
Nation's History" by Archbishop Magaky Ormanian, which was recently
published by the Holy See of Echmiadzin.
PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS NO ALTERNATIVE, VLADIMIR
PUTIN SAID
JANUARY 25. Like Azerbaijan, Russia believes that
"peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict has no alternative."
Moreover, the settlement should be reached "without division into the
winner and the conquered." According to the Strana.ru, this statement
was made by Vladimir Putin immediately after the Russian-Azeri
negotiations at the Kremlin.
He called the problem of the Karabakh conflict the "acutest one,"
pointing out that Russia is vitally interested in its settlement, as
Russia wants to equally develop its relations with both countries.
Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia will speak about the conflict's
settlement at the OSCE Minsk Group's session.
At the same time, Azeri President Heidar Aliev pointed out that the
presidents found too much time for this issue, as they started their
discussion still yesterday at Vladimir Putin's country residence.
The Azeri president said he is satisfied with the fact that
Vladimir Putin gives so much attention to this issue and expressed
confidence that Russia is most likely to play "a crucial role" in the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
22 CHILDREN IN CHARGE OF "MEDECINES SANS FRONTIERES" ORGANIZATION
HAVE NO BIRTH CERTIFICATES
JANUARY 22. 22 children in charge of the Center for assistance to children in difficult situations of the French "Medecines Sans Frontieres" organization have no birth certificates, Executive of the "Children in difficult situations" program Domenica Gablu told ARMINFO. Most of the 220 children who applied to the Center are tramps and beggars. They were found by the organization workers during their daily duties in Yerevan's streets. The major goal of the Center is preventing children's vagrancy. The Center not only renders material assistance to the children, but also works to restore their social rights, which most of them have been deprived of since their childhood. 40% of the children's parents have no residence registration and passports. Under the same program, whose annual cost is 360,000 USD, 92 children from socially vulnerable families were sent to the Vardashen asylum for children aged 12-18. Most of them are residents of Yerevan, Shirak and Lori regions. Gablu said that almost all the children have families, but their parents are unable to provide sufficient food and clothing for them. The main advantage of the Vardashen asylum is that children can return to their families after their parents' financial situation improves. Another advantage is that the children are allowed to see their parents every month. The average time of children's stay at the asylum is two years. In 2001, 53 children left the asylum, and, as Gablu pointed out, "in 33 cases we are satisfied with the results," though some of the children may go back into the street again. The program will be continued in 2003.
PACE TO DISCUSS AGAIN ISSUE OF AZERBAIJAN'S MEETING ITS COMMITMENTS
TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS
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